 Section 43 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kay Hand. Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Number 43 from CB Hall, Amherst, Burbank. Amherst, Burbank, 6 September 1853. My dear Mr. Latrobe, in answer to your letter requesting me to communicate any information that I may be able to give respecting the early settlement of a portion of this colony, I have much pleasure in forwarding the accompanying document. I have revised it carefully and believe that the facts stated are correct to the best of my knowledge and recollection. My interest in the colony arising from early association has long been great, and though uncomfortably disturbed by recent important changes in its social aspect, is still so much as to cause me to hope that its history may be rescued from oblivion. I cannot but trust that there is some promise of this being now done in a manner which must gratify all who can appreciate graphic records and vivid descriptions. I remain, my dear Mr. Latrobe, very faithfully yours, CB Hall. To His Excellency, C.J. Latrobe Melbourne. Muster Cattle on Manoroo. In the year 1840 I assisted in mustering on the plains of Manoroo a herd of cattle belonging to a Dr. Sherwin and purchased from him by a mercantile firm in Sydney to send to Port Phillip as a speculation. Start for Port Phillip. 1300 mixed cattle were gathered with which our party started in August for Port Phillip by way of Yass. Many other herds on the road. There were several other herds traveling on this road at that time. It was said that there were 20,000 cattle between Yass and Melbourne. However, this may have been. There were so many different parties moving with stock in the same line as ourselves as made it necessary that great care should be exercised to prevent the mixing of herds and consequent annoyance and confusion. The Crossing Places over the Rivers. This was particularly the case at the Crossing Places over the rivers where, sometimes from accident, bad management, or from the cattle proving refractory, one party would occupy more in front or behind to send all their men that could be spared to assist at such times. The intermediate district through which the road lay was very thinly settled and stocked, but still it was all nominally taken up. There was, however, abundance of grass and water for traveling herds without interfering with the resident's stock. The Majors Line. In approaching the district of Port Phillip, we understood that the line which we followed was that struck out by Major Mitchell on his return from Portland Bay. Finding, when we reached the Goldburn River, that the cattle market in Melbourne was overstocked, it was determined to place the herd on a run if it could be found. Campaspi. With this view, the country was explored to the north of Major Mitchell's return line, first down the Campaspi, but though there was no station below what is now Mr. Lennatz, one formed below it having been abandoned on account of the attack of the natives, the country looked so parched up and uninviting that it was not taken up. Lower Ladin. The same cause deterred us from occupying the Lower Ladin, which had been already passed by others as worthless, the value of it and the country to the north generally as a winter run for stock, not having then been ascertained. Halt the herd at Glenmana. In order to more perfectly prosecute the search for available country, the herd was halted at the creek, lately occupied by McNeil and Hall, near Burnbank, when excursions were made in various directions. Dutton, Simpson and Darlett. This creek was then occupied by an outstation of Messers Dutton, Simpson and Darlett, who had recently arrived from the Sydney District with one of the largest establishments that had ever come over land. It formed the western portion of their run, their eastern boundary being 40 miles distant, near Mount Alexander. On this same creek to the southward, nearer to the Maiden Hills, the Messers Hodgkinson were established, the southern portion of their run having been previously held by Messers Lang and Griffin, who had moved from it to Mount Elephant, and prior to them by a Mr. Bowman, or Borman, who I understood, was drowned in a going by sea from Melbourne to Sydney. At this time there were no stations to the north of this part of the country. Avoka River. The Avoka was also unoccupied except at its source in the amphitheater among the Pyrenees, where Mr. Irvin had a sheep station. There had been a station taken up about ten miles below this by a Mr. Elephant, but one or two of his shepherds having been killed by the natives it was deserted and occupied afterwards by Mr. Irvin. Mr. Briggs, who finally settled at the Grampians, had halted hereabouts for some weeks on his way down from Bathurst with sheep. Southerly from this neighborhood the country was held by Messers Donald and Hamilton, west from Mount Misery, by Messers Laramondt, northeast and south from the same hill, by Mr. McCallum, north from Mount Beckwith, he having purchased from Mr. Hodin. In the same line proceeding easterly by Mr. Donald Cameron and further on by Captain McLaughlin, to the north of whom were Mr. McLaughlin McKinnon, who afterward sold to Mr. Hunter, and Mr. Collin McKinnon, who disposed of his station to the Messers Joyce and moved on to the Pyrenees. River Wamera, Mount Cole. Proceeding west past the Evoca, we found the Mount Cole branch of the River Wamera, occupied at the upper part, first by Mr. Irvine with sheep, next to him by Mr. Lynaught with cattle of Dr. Imles of Twofold Bay, and below him by Mr. Francis. Mr. Francis was killed in 1842 by a wound inflicted by a madman whom he had imprudently employed. Mr. Lynaught about the same time sold his station to Mr. J. A. Cameron for thirteen hundred pounds, who lately disposed of it to Mr. C. Williamson of Melbourne for thirty thousand pounds. Want of Water to the North. On exploring the unoccupied country to the north we found it without water. Places to which we were taken by the natives with assurances that there would be plenty of water, we found quite dry. This was particularly remarkable in the channel of the Wamera, which looked as if it had not run below the stations of Mr. Clark of Dowling Forest, then managed by Mr. Francis, for some years. Mount William Wamera. From this district to the Mount William branches of the Wamera, there were no settlers. Though Mr. Blow shortly afterwards came in upon the intervening space with sheep of Mr. Sanclairs of Van Demon's land, occupying country which is now held by Dr. Blundle and Dr. Thompson, in having first passed through the hands of Mr. John Allen, and then, I believe, into the possession of the Bank of Australia. Near to Mount William, Mr. Horace Wills from the Murrumbidgee River was settled. He had sold a portion of his run to Captain Bunbury. Mr. Kirk was superintending a station east from Mount William on the Hopkins River. This was afterwards sold to Messers McGill and Ross, and by them recently disposed of to Messers Richardson and Wright and Roger. From these stations north for twenty miles, following the course of the Wamera, there was no one. Beyond this distance, Captain Briggs was settled with sheep brought down from near Bathurst, the property of the Redfern estate there. These were sold to Mr. Boyd of Sydney Notoriety, and next purchased, I believe, by the present proprietor, Mr. Karaf. Plains and Northern Wamera. North of this place, the plains and river Wamera itself were totally unoccupied, little known, and supposed to be worthless for stock. Progress and cause of settlement of the inferior Northern country. At this time, the richer portions only of the colony found favor in the eyes of intending settlers as only being calculated to afford marketable stock. Afterwards, when melting down had been established into a system rendering settlers independent of the limited market of Melbourne, and giving a value to lean stock and consequences of their being in demand to replace stock boiled down from the richer runs, country till then despised was greedily taken up. The Northern plains and the parts more immediately watered by the Wamera and its tributaries were occupied under these circumstances. Then it was discovered that tracks which had been passed over as barren in summer had a peculiar value in winter, and in fact it gradually became apparent that they were second to no district in their capacity for producing fat stock, the fattening seasons however being different. Water becoming more permanent. Their condition also of being in a great part without water seemed to have altered, and creeks which had formerly been dry for long periods now filled with the regular rains. We take up a run. Finding the vacant country between Captain Bunbury's and Mr. Briggs's stations in some respects suitable for our purpose, we occupied it intending however to remain there only for a time during which search for a more favorable spot might be prosecuted. The station changes hands. The station so formed remained permanent passing into the hands of Messers Rose and Jackson, and from them to Mr. Horace Wills, Mr. Rose in 1843 taking up a run to the west of the Grampians between Mount Zero and the Victoria Range. At this time following the Grampians round the southwest there was no station beyond that of Captain Bunbury till Mount Sturgeon was reached, where Dr. Martin of Heidelberg had a herd of cattle in charge of Mr. Knowles. Shortly after I settled however Mr. Churnside took up a small creek flowing on to the plains from Mount William. To the southeast Messers Stevens and Thompson had arrived overland with sheep from Yass and occupied the Fiery Creek. East of them were the Messers Campbell who had settled at Mount Cole about a year before. Between the Grampians and Victoria Range a Mr. Dwyer took up in 1842 some country at the back of Dr. Martin's run. River Glen Elk, Upper Parts Vacant. The Upper Glen Elk at its rise amongst the ranges was unoccupied, nor am I aware that any country for a considerable distance west from its source was taken up till later and all towards Mount Aeropiles and on the waters running to the Romera from the western side of the Grampians was, yes, vacant. River Norton. It was not until 1843 that Mr. Rose took up a run on the headwaters of the Norton, or Mackenzie, which I had explored much earlier for a heifer station reaching it through a wild and beautiful pass now called Rose's Gap, but which I did not then think worth occupying. Victoria Range. It was about 1843 that Mr. D. C. Simpson took up country lying immediately beneath the Victoria Range to the west and various stations were quickly formed on the Romera and Upper Glen Elk. Mr. Chirot establishing himself on the latter river below Mr. Simpson having removed from near Mount Alexander. I leave the Grampians. At the end of 1842 I left my residence at the Grampians and purchased a station from Mr. Simpson on the creek which now forms the western boundary of the County of Talbot. My acquaintance with the former neighborhood consequently ceased to be kept up except by casual visits. Laden District, etc. The Minde. Being thus settled in the Laden District, in 1843 I formed one of a party consisting of Mr. McNeil, Mr. Darlett, and myself, with two natives, to explore the plains to the north of the Pyrenees, induced there too. By the accounts the blacks gave a very large lake there, which we were anxious to see in spite of the Minde, which they gave us to understand infested it, making a prey of emus and blackfellows, in which the old lubras of the tribe asserted would never allow us to return, an imaginary fate which they bewailed with much lamentation and weeping, endeavoring to deter us by picturing the immensity of the monster. One old and hideous hag in particular dabbed her yam stick into the ground dramatically and affirmed that the cobra belonging to Minde along this one station tailed it along Mr. McCallum, thus indicating a length of about 11 miles only. The notion of discovering two such wonders, as a lake in a waterless country and a serpent of such magnificent dimensions, only stimulated our determination. So crossing the Avoca in April, 1843, we struck into a dry creek, the Avon, running north from the Pyrenees. Finding it without water throughout its course, which we followed for a day and a half till discerning no sign of moisture in its channel, and being in great doubt how far the blacks were to be depended on as to their knowledge of any permanent water thereabouts, we turned towards the Wamera. This, by traveling all night, steering by a star, we reached early on the third morning. Our horses had been two days and three nights without anything to drink except a quart of water to each, which we gave them from our keg, pouring it into the crown of a cabbage tree hat into which the fold of a Macintosh cloak had first been fitted to make it hold water. The winters of 1843 and 44, proving wet, these various northern creeks filled up, and the country near the lake Bannonong was reached and occupied by Messers J and W. Donald and the Messers Wedge, who sold to Mr. Robert McCready. The lower Evoca was also taken up first below the stations of Mr. Irvine by Mr. J. L. Foster and Mr. Archdale, since dead, near Beliba, next by Messers Ellis Shor and Elliot, followed by others, down its whole course. Nearer the Pyrenees, on a branch of the Evoca, were Mr. Colin McKinnon, removal from the Laudan, and Mr. James Campbell. Avon River On the sources of the Avon among the northern spurs of the Pyrenees, a large tract of country was taken up about this time by Mr. Lawrence Rostron. Pleasure of Exploring There was a wonderful charm in exploring country thus uninhabited except by the natives and wild birds and animals. These occupied without altering the face of nature, which heterodox, as the opinion in these days may seem, was, to my eye, more beautiful than in its present aspect of national pretensions and magnificence. Heards of kangaroo abounded in the forests and emus grazed over the plains, in some cases so tame as to approach the rider with a strange gaze of curiosity. The creeks were then all fringed with reeds and rushes, undevoured by hungry cows, and got working bullocks. These reeds and rushes formed a beautiful edging to the dark solemn pools overhung by the water-loving gum-trees, where wild fowl abounded as the plains did with quail and turkeys. Abundance of Game About the Grampians, in particular, game was most plentiful. My stockpin repeatedly brought in young live emu, which he had written down, and kangaroo tail soup in its abundance ceased to have any attraction for us. I had tame emu chickens performing their strange juvenile antics round my reed-mia-mia, yellow striped and downy little objects difficult to be recognized as the sources from which future mature emus were to grow. A female kangaroo was a familiar intimate of my hut, and on excellent terms with the dogs that had murdered its poor mother. While ducks, geese, and swans were constant visitors upon the water-hole opposite my door, and occasionally a pelican or spoon-bill appeared as a rarity. The Natives Hostilities At the period of my entrance into the colony of Australia Felix, in almost every part of it, the mutual relation of the natives and settlers, at first, was one of distrust and violence. This, it was stated, arose from the attempts of the blacks to steal sheep or other property of value from the settlers. These robberies were often accompanied with violence and murder committed in the treacherous manner common to most savages. Such occurrences naturally led to reprisals in which the superior arms and energy of the settlers and of their servants told with fatal effect upon the native race. Instances of this deplorable result might often be observed by the explorer in the early days of the settlement of the colony. Native Skeleton in a Water-hole When I was passing with the cattle over the eastern Wamera, a shepherd came up and entered into a conversation with me. He held a carbine in the place of a crook, and an old regulation pistol was stuck in his belt instead of the more classical pastoral pipe. Pastoral pursuits in Australia, being attended at this time, with circumstances more calculated to foster a spirit of war than one of music. After some conversation, he led me to a water-hole where the skeleton of a native, exposed by the shrinking of the water in the summer heat, lay on the mud. There was a bullet-hole through the back of the skull. He was shot in the water, the man told me, as he was trying to hide himself after a scrimmage. There was a lot more to the other side. Bones under a gum-tree I might see the bones sticking up out of the ground close to the big fallen gum-tree where they had been stowed away all of a heap. Agrave good enough he took occasion to assure me for the sneaking, murdering black cannibals. Bones under the logs of a bush-fire On another branch of the Wamera, when looking for the horses one morning, after camping out, my black boy came back. His complexion changed to yellow with fright, taking me away to a short distance he showed me three or four bodies partially concealed by logs. There were numerous tracks of horses round about. He explained the occurrence in his way. I believe black fellow bibba-loo-lee sheep about. Then white fellow Gilbert and put him along a fire. Every station had some tragic tale connected with this subject. At one a parakeet was pointed out as it ran about the floor of the hut quite tame. It had been the only thing left at an out station by the blacks after murdering the hut keeper and stealing the utensils and rations. It had been found perched on a tie-beam over the dead body and brought in to the home station. Hut keeper left for dead. At another the servant who brought in the tea and damper had his face distorted. He had once been a good-looking man, but the blacks came on him one morning when he was shifting the hurdles, battered his face in, left him for dead, and rod the hut. Spears taken out of cattle. At a third there was a heap of pieces of spears piled up on the rough slab mantelpiece. These had been taken out of the various cows and bullocks on a cattle run where the natives had attacked them in the ranges, killing many and driving the rest away. The place was shown where they had their carabery to celebrate the triumph. The ground was beaten smooth and hard where they had danced and barked plates lay about on which the choice morsels had been heaped. Cattle driven off the run. On this run out of 1,500 head of cattle all had been driven off but about 30 crawlers. It was many weeks before they were remustered. Sheep driven away, legs broken. From another station a whole flock of sheep had been taken away far to the north. A few only were recovered, numbers being found by the pursuers with their legs broken, a cruel sort of tethering resorted to in those days by the natives under these circumstances. Settler speared. Again at another station a stockyard was pointed out in which one of the earlier proprietors had been speared while milking a cow. Natives made useful. Yet with all this the natives generally were welcomed at the stations for the most part and they made themselves useful in many ways. As for instance in stripping bark, finding lost horses, and in acting as guides and messengers. But they seemed always to have availed themselves of any opening for attack left by in caution. At least for a long time after the first occupation of the country. Numerous about the Grampians, fish weirs. About the Grampians they were numerous at the time of my residence and had apparently been much more so judging from the traces left by them in the swampy margins of the river. At these places we found many low sod banks extending across the shallow branches of the river with apertures at intervals in which were placed long narrow circular nets like a large stocking made of rush work. Heaps of mushel shells were also found abounding on the banks and old miamias where the earth around was strewed with the balls formed in the mouth when chewing the perinaceous matter out of the bulrush root. Bird catching. They had the art here of catching birds with a long slender stick like a fishing rod at the end of which was a noose of grass twisted up. With this apparatus and a screen of bows they succeeded in putting salt on birds' tails to some purpose. One old villainous looking black of my acquaintance used to catch large bundles of quail which he would barter freely for suet. The kidney fat of a sheep would purchase a dozen brace. Crawfish. The Lubras fished up crawfish from the shallow muddy water holes with their toes and yam sticks and exchanged them for the dainties of civilized life. A large tin dishful might be obtained in barter by a small expenditure of tea and sugar and when treated with a certain degree of gastronomic science, formed a not unwelcome change of diet from mutton chops or salt beef which in those days were the almost unverified food of the cormorant squatocracy. Native tracks. I here first saw the tracks formed by the natives in traveling over any particular paths. There was one across the Grampian Range about 15 miles north of Mount William leading up a wild romantic glen and over on to the source of the Glen Elk. I found another through the tea tree scrub of the Wannon near Mount Sturgeon from which on each side of the river other tracks diverged over the open ground. They were much like cattle tracks except that they passed over places which cattle were not likely to attempt. Grass tree. One variety of food was in use among the natives here which was new to me at the time. It was a portion of the grass tree top. This was first pulled out of the stem, a few preliminary taps being made with the back of the tomahawk, and then a length of soft white succulent matter neatly twisted off the lower extremity where it had been embedded in the rugged trunk. It reminded me of asparagus in the proportion of tender to tough. I also observed them take a red grub out from the grass tree which I was informed was marajig and like it sugar, with an assurance further that I was a stupid fellow for not adopting it as an article of diet. I cannot confirm the character given of this eatable, however, not having been induced by the scorn and wonder of the Aborigines to test their bill of fare further than by trying the crawfish and grass tree. I conceive it quite possible, however, that an unprejudiced person might pronounce grubs, red or white, less repulsive in appearance as food, than a fat, delicious oyster. I am by no means convinced that while in our self-satisfied horror at seeing fellow men, black and savage though they be, eating things certainly not unlike worms, we abstain from Australian grubs, we may not be losing the enjoyment of a delicacy second only to white bait. How the blacks eat emu skin? When endeavouring to find the lake called Bananong, before spoken of, I shot an emu, which the blacks who were with us received as a great prize. They cooked and ate it in a style which amused us much. Having first roughly plucked it, they took off the skin which they stuffed with tender gum twigs. Thus prepared it was delicately toasted at a slow fire, and then rich yellow oily lengths of what looked like the thickest of the fattest possible goose skin were trimmed off and swallowed, as the lasaroni of Naples are said to suck down macaroni. Places of interment. From one or two instances which came before us, I am inclined to believe that the blacks about the Grampian used to bury their dead in hollow trees. On one occasion I discovered my stockman manifesting a mysterious dislike to a particular vicinity, and on questioning him ascertained that, at the foot of a hollow tree, at the place in question, where the half-burnt remains of a human being. At another a dead body was plainly perceptible high up in the hollow of an old gum tree. Superiority of the Laudan and Marible natives. The natives at the Grampians were, generally speaking, a much inferior tribe in appearance to those of the more fertile districts, such as the Laudan and Marible. They seemed as if they depended physically upon the nature of the country which they occupied, the richer portions of the colony nourishing its inhabitants into better grown and handsomer men and women than the less fertile parts. About the Laudan and Marible, I have seen men who might have served as models of symmetry and strength, and whose figures were perfection as regards the animal man. Lubras also here were often found tall, well-shaped, and good-looking, as far as could be judged of through a coating of grease, and various pigments, and filth, white, black, and red. Inferiority of the Grampian blacks. At the Grampians, both sexes were distinguished by preeminent ugliness and dirt as far as I had opportunities of judging. Absence of feeling of revenge. In all parts of the colony in which I have been, the character of the native seems to be free from the inclination to vengeance, so common among most savages, at least to vengeance toward the civilized intruder upon their country. Their murders of and thefts from the white population seem generally to have been prompted by mere acquisitiveness, the objects of their desire being different from those which tempt the criminals of civilized communities. The diplomatists of their tribes may even perhaps have pleaded justification that their kangaroos and emus were driven away by the flocks and herds of the settlers, for repisals among an invading enemy, stimulating a sort of guerrilla warfare, not indeed with a war cry pro-eris et fokis, but for a reason no less cogent to men whose undisciplined appetites may be presumed to have been keen enough. Their cannibalism and cutting out of warriors' kidney fat were only manifestations probably of their religion or superstition, as the rack and the faggot have been, and the prison is now, the means by which the dominant orthodoxy of the day is vindicated on the other side of the world. Apart from these peculiarities, I am of opinion that they may, towards the whites, at least in the main, be considered a plaqueable people, for let them be offended ever so bitterly, and overtures then be proffered towards reconciliation through the medium of the cheap gifts which pervert their wisdom, and their wrath evaporates like the morning dew. I have known their dogs to be shot, and offence generally of the deepest die against their social code, and the tribe depart in consequence, shaking as it were the dust from their feet against the station where the offence had been committed, the men jabbering all kinds of native imprecations, as was supposed, and the women howling eululations and hugging their dead mangy darlings in their arms. In a month they have come back smilingly for tobacco, protesting with the utmost amiability that, all gone sulky now. End of Section 43 Section 44 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Letter number 44 from Colin Campbell. Dear Sir. In answer to Your Excellency's communication of 29 July requesting me to supply any information in my power as to the time and circumstances of the first settlement and occupation of the Mount Cole country, I have great pleasure in mentioning such particulars as have come within my knowledge as an old settler, although not one of the first inhabitants. I have the honour to be with respectful regards Your Most Obedient Servant, Colin Campbell. To His Excellency, C. J. Latrobe Esquire. In October 1838 I left London with my brother, and arrived at Hobarton in March 1839 with the intention of proceeding to Port Phillip. In Van Diemen's Land we bought about two thousand sheep, which, after great trouble and delay, we landed at Williamstown without much loss. Many others were not so fortunate, losing half their cargo from stress of weather and close confinement. We also imported from Van Diemen's Land some fifteen horses. Our sheep cost us at first about fifteen shillings per head, but prices were then rising rapidly, and the cost of shipment and the risk of loss were great. In the month of July 1839 I think sheep had reached two pounds per head in Port Phillip. During that winter, flour, owing partly to monopoly, rose to seventy pounds per ton in Melbourne. The wages of shepherds and hutkeepers reached about forty pounds per annum, and one pound per week was given to extra hands. The sheep from Van Diemen's Land were all scabby, and the disease became much more virulent when they were put in yards in Port Phillip. This was a source of great trouble and expense, and the act then in force prevented sheep from travelling except in February. We therefore spent the winter of 1839 at the Darraben Creek, under canvas on a small scale, and were there assailed by a succession of floods which continued at intervals until Christmas, on which day I saw a flock of sheep and half a dozen men nearly drowned in the yara. In summer shearing was got over and the wool sold at high prices, although much damaged, about one shilling sixpence per pound in Melbourne. Then we explored for a run, and my brother, after surveying the then barren plains of the Laudan, selected the country at the foot of Mount Cole as the best unoccupied tract. Thither we proceeded with the usual equipment, and in the beginning of March arrived at the fiery creek a few miles from the base of Mount Cole. At that time the country was occupied from Geylong up to the Trawalla Ranges, but was quite vacant beyond these to the north and west. We tenanted a large tract of country as it was the fashion then for squatters to occupy the best spots as stations without much regard to their distance from each other, but our dimensions were shorn by flock-owners from Sydney who preferred appropriation to original discovery. It was upon this occasion that the Commissioner of the Western District did me the honour of designating me as a shabby scotchman, although I was not aware of the fact until very lately. In the year 1840 stock began to pass down from the Sydney side by the Major's line, which was then deeply furrowed with dre tracks, but the plains to the south-west of Mount Cole remained unoccupied, the prevailing feeling among settlers at that time being that they were too bare and uncomfortable for either man or beast. The country at the head of the Hopkins was, however, taken up soon after ours, with Sydney flocks. The north side of Mount Cole was also occupied about 1841 with sheep and cattle, and de-pasturage gradually extended down the Wimmera, reaching Lake Hindmarsh about 1846. It was about 1848 that the Richardson and the Evoca became settled, and a change having come over the seasons, which supplied with water, tracts of country which had appeared unavailable. To return to Mount Cole, about a year after our first occupation we began to feel settled, having subdued the scab. I was induced, however, very foolishly to sell the greater part of my sheep and run from an idea that horses and cattle could be managed at much less expense. So they were, but on the other hand they produced a still smaller income, owing to the great depreciation which took place about 1843 and continued for some five years from that time. Wool, alone I may observe, was independent of this change, and the returns derived from this source from England alone enabled the squatters to weather the storm, and the merchants and shopkeepers to carry on their business. Many of the original squatters, however, went down in my neighbourhood, and others took their place, buying stations in some cases at little more than a year's income. Squatters at that time, if they could not provide cash, could only get credit through a merchant, for the banks gave them no facilities otherwise. The result was that a large number of settlers were in receipt of advances which cost them about twenty percent. It was not, I believe, until within the last five years that they became as a class independent in their circumstances. The natives, when we first went to Mount Cole, were numerous, but nothing like a census of them was ever taken. When we first camped upon their grounds, as might be expected, they made a demonstration against us by collecting a body of fighting men in our vicinity. It became necessary to dislodge them from their position, but as five or six of us marched steadily up to their camp with the intention of demanding an explanation, they all ran away, and never came round us again for twelve months. We met a black boy, Jackie, however, and induced him to come home with us, and he lived in or about our huts for about three years without ever leaving us for any length of time. He was very intelligent, and proved useful in tracking lost sheep, exploring country, etc., but when he came to a certain age he sought himself a wife, and became a man and a savage. He was always honest and faithful, and at one time incurred some risk from a bush ranger who took his horse from him when he was tailing some heifers, and whom he resisted manfully until a pistol was presented at him. From a good many years experience I can bear witness to the intelligence and good feeling of the blacks, and believe their capabilities to be almost equal to those of Europeans, but their associations from birth upwards are very powerful. I shall never forget a lesson I gave a fine young man, the son of King William, in geography. When I showed him the map of New Holland, he thought it was a plan of the run. Then I pointed out to him where we were at Mount Cole, and he took it all in. I then showed him the map of Asia, and he understood the relative size of its different parts. I then showed him the map of the world with Asia in it, and he opened his eyes and made exclamations for five minutes together as the new idea flashed upon him. In 1851 I resided for four or five months at the station with Mrs. Campbell, and at one time there were about a hundred natives encamped beside us. I walked through them and introduced Mrs. C. When I came to King William I said, Mrs. C., King W., etc. When he took off a clocked hat and made a neat bow, but added, Borac, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Colin Campbell, reserving the former honour for my senior brother's wife when he gets one. Footnote Borac means no, not so. End footnote When I was last at the station in October 1852 I found that the very high wages given to the whites had caused the services of the natives to be regularly enlisted. About forty thousand sheep were washed by them alone at Mount Cole, wages being given them at the rate of twelve shillings per week, and they went on steadily at the end of shearing. Two or three were receiving one pound a week as bullock drivers. For ten years previous to this I had seen them earning occasional wages but I never saw them engaged with such persevering energy as on this occasion. I think therefore that good wages would keep the able-bodied men fully employed with an occasional spell, but when they get money the public houses make sad havoc among them. Our tribe from the first saw very little of the protectors having to run the gauntlet of the Laudan blacks to reach Jim Crow, but it often struck me that a voluntary protectorate might have been formed in some parts of the country. Suppose noticed to have been given that settlers undertaking the charge of certain natives and certifying that they had been employed by them for so long a time would be entitled to receive blankets, clothing, etc. for their benefit. There would have been a great inducement to employ them both on grounds of public duty and private interest. At least the disadvantages attending their labor would have been somewhat counterbalanced. In this way small parties of four or five might have been assigned to different stations where habits of civilization would have grown upon them. The gregariousness of the natives has been the source of the strength of their wandering habits which have prevented them from settling down in families on particular spots. They lived in clans and their laws were not dissimilar to those of the Scotch Highlanders a century and a half ago. Davidae at Impera was, I think, the key to their improvement, but the system of protectors in this colony was one which confirmed their gregarious associations. With regard to missionaries, while the collection of a number of aborigines gives good opportunities, their settlement in distinct places offers a better field for making impressions. In the latter case they would require to be visited where they lived and it may be hoped that some settlers would take an interest in their eternal welfare. I for one cannot sufficiently condemn myself for the neglect of valuable opportunities. At present I should say the natives are as hopeful subjects for Christianity as many of the whites in the interior. With squatting politics your excellency must have been ere now surfited and I have already trespassed enough upon your patience. However, perhaps you will excuse me for enclosing a discourse upon the subject in print which has been the result of a good many years study upon this subject. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Letters from Victorian Pioneers Letter number 45 from Edward Grimes 1st August 1853 My dear sir, I am very sorry that so few names occur to me of the settlers who originally took up their runs in the vicinity of the Broken River and Lower Murray, but almost all those who, to my knowledge, occupied new country in those days are either dead or gone home. I put Mr. Holloway's name on the list because I think he could give a good deal of information on the subject in general although he did not settle in that particular locality. Should I recollect any more names I will forward them to you when I give you an account of the very little information that I possess individually on the matter. Allow me to remain, my dear sir, yours most sincerely, Edward Grimes, to His Excellency C. J. Latrobe Esquire W. McKellar, Lima, Benalla Alexander Mackenzie Shane, Goulburn River Charles Ryan, Seven Creeks, Sydney Road William Atkins, near Seymour Ephraim and John Howe W. McDonald, Junction of Goulburn and Murray Charles and James Rowan, Ovens River, Care of Messers W. Bell and Co. W. Chisholm, King River John and Charles Manton, Melbourne Joseph Holloway Theophilus Keane, Lower Murray End of Section 45 Section 46 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Gary B. Clayton Letters from Victorian Pioneers Letter 46 from John Templeton Keyenton, 6 August 1853 Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th Alt, requesting me to furnish you with such details relating to the first settlement of this province as I might be personally cognizant of. I now beg to transmit to you a paper containing such information as I possess relating to the above matter. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, John Templeton. C. J. Latrobe, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, et cetera, et cetera. Memoranda reflecting the first settlement of part of the province of Victoria. In October 1838, I took up the station known as Seven Creeks, situated close to the Sydney Road, about 35 miles from the river Gulburn. At that time there were only two stations occupied between the river's ovens and Gulburn, this, one by Mr. H. K. Hughes at Avonelle, and the other at Mangalore River Gulburn by some person on behalf of Major Anderson. Both those stations were taken up about June 1838. In the beginning of 1839, a police station was formed at the crossing place of the Broken River, and in the latter part of that year and the beginning of 1840, the country in the neighborhood of that river was occupied by different settlers. In the beginning of 1840, the country now known as the Devil's River Country was taken up by Missouri's Watson and Hunter, and about the same time the country in the neighborhood of the upper Gulburn was occupied. In the end of 1840 and the beginning of 1841, the country on the river Gulburn, below Major Anderson Station, began to be occupied and soon afterwards the banks of the Murray below the junction of the ovens. I know personally very little of the first occupation of the country lying between the river's ovens and Murray, but may mention the names of Dr. McKay and Mr. G. Faithful, both still residing on the ovens, as original occupants of that portion of the district, and as likely to be able to afford you every information with regard to its first settlement. In the months of July and August 1838, I saw a good deal of that part of the western port district lying between the Sydney Road and Major Mitchell's Homeward Track. The country on the Melbourne side of the track appeared to be pretty well occupied, but there was at that time only one station on the other side, Viz, that occupied by Captain Hutton, near Mount MacIver. With regard to the aborigines, my means of information are very meager. I have no means of even guessing at their numbers when I first settled in Port Phillip, as, for three or four years, they very seldom appeared at my station, and then only in small numbers. I am glad to say that I never had any collision with them, nor, in fact, suffered any serious annoyance from them. I am aware that in several parts of the Murray District they proved very troublesome in the years 1838 and 1839, but I have reason to believe that if the settlers had used proper precautions and a generality of cases they would not have suffered. John Templeton, Kyneton, 6 August 1853 Fiery Creek, August 18, 1853 Unrelieved by startling incident or perilous adventure and nearly destitute of interest, it might be enlivened by anecdotes of the effect of solitude upon the mind, the peculiarities it induces, and the self-delusion engendered amidst what Dr. Johnson would have called its, quote, and fractuosities, end quote. But this would be treading upon egotistical ground, where our resources are abundant, a due sense of our own merits being one of the virtues which solitude imparts, and therefore inconsistent with matter of fact statement. Besides to diverge at all from the path which you have pointed out would far exceed the limits of a letter, the dangers of the Brevis Esselaboro Obscurus Fio being already imminent. Upon reaching the ovens in June 1840, with sheep from Sydney, and finding that disease had been spread along the road by the stock of Mishir's Dutton and Darlott, we turned aside and ascended the Broken River nearly to its source, passing the stations of Mishir's Broad Rib, McKellar, and Peter Stuckey. Then crossing a low dividing range, we came upon an elevated plateau at the foot of the Alps, known as the Mount Battery Country, which had a short time previously been discovered by Mishir's Watson and Hunter, and was then in process of settlement by them. Some unsuccessful attempts had been made to penetrate the Alps in search of new country about the time that Count Strelitzky was engaged upon his exploring expedition. The aboriginal natives were very troublesome in that locality. They murdered two men in the service of Mr. Waugh, took and kept six hundred of his sheep, and ransacked his dwelling. He came over to me, having on one woolen stocking and one cotton sock, and complained that they had not left him even a panic in. As illustrative of the early settlement of the country, I may conclude the history of this gentleman's sojourn upon the Devil's River. Some traveling sheep of Mr. McFarlane's, infected with Qatar, camped round his folds and imparted the scourge to his flocks. Between the ravages of this disease and the constant attacks of the natives, he lost all his sheep and left the river, I believe, a ruined man, to add another and a bitter chapter to the next edition of the, quote, Experiences of a Settler in New South Wales, unquote. A hutkeeper was also murdered at an outstation of measures Watson and Hunter, two miles from where we were camped. It is probable that he went out of his hut to ascertain what the dogs were barking at, and that a black fellow stepped from behind a tree and tomahawked him in the back of the head, for he was found quite dead, with his hands in his pockets and his pipe in his mouth. The shepherd returned to the hut shortly after, finding it pillaged and encountering the lifeless body of his mate. The shock nearly overpowered his reason. He threw off his hat, coat, and boots, and ran to the home station five miles distant, climbed to the roof of the hut, and sitting astride of the ridge, cried, Murder, Murder, continuously for half an hour before he became sufficiently reassured to impart his intelligence. The effect of these atrocities upon the minds of the men, perpetrated in a lonely, isolated spot, remote from assistance, and where nothing distracted their ideas or prevented their brooding upon the one subject, was great. Their fears magnified the danger to such an extent that they lived in a continual state of anxiety, apprehension, and alarm. The huts were loophold to infallate each other. They neither dined nor slept without their arms being within reach. The barking of a dog was a signal of danger which sent every man to his post. We had to place two shepherds with every flock, and when the hutkeeper went to the creek for water, a man was posted on the bank with a double-barrel gun to guard him from the wadi of the ubiquitous aboriginal, who was supposed to lurk behind every gum tree and to peer from every bush. In February, 1841, we resumed our journey by following the broken river down to the Gulburn and the ladder to near its junction with the Murray, when we struck into Sir T. Mitchell's outward track and followed it to the Wimmera. But our expectations of the country to be found there, formed from his description, were not realized. A series of dry seasons had altered the face of the country, and the fertile region which had presented itself as the lighted view had been converted into an arid waste, destitute of either grass or water. Mrs. Redfern Station, now Mr. Carfraes, was then the lowest upon the river. We followed the river upwards, passing the stations of Mr. Hall and H.S. Wills, and halted under Mount William, from whence we were driven by footrot and the blacks. At this time, a strong prejudice existed against planes as runs for sheep. It was generally supposed that the want of shelter, both from the rays of the sun in summer and the biting blasts in winter, would soon break down their constitutions, and consequently many persons had passed over this fiery creek district and proceeded many miles further from their markets to occupy much worse runs, and thus, though surrounded by stations, we found it most opportunity at our disposal. We took possession of a portion of it in May, 1841. Much of the neighboring country had been taken up the previous year by Missures A and C Campbell at Mount Cole, and by Donald and Hamilton, Hassell and Hamilton, G. and T. McCready, G. Allen, and Wright and Montgomery upon the upper part of the Mount Emu Creek. Mr. Kirk held Barombiep, McGill's Run, and Mr. Wisseleski's was then the next station up the Hopkins. Missures Black and Steel adjoined us to the eastward. The lower part of this creek was dry for many miles and its entrance to and exit from, Lake Bullock, could not be traced. In August of that year, 1841, Mr. L. McKinnon took up Mount Theans and Mr. Churnside possessed himself of the run which we had vacated at Mount William. Two young men of the name Mather formed a station under the Grampians, one of them met with so dreadful of fate that it is worthy of mention in any record of the early settlement of the district. He remained alone at the homestead while his brother was at their only outstation. A short distance from his hut door he was employed cutting down a large tree which fell across his legs, broke both his thighs, and pinned him to the earth. In this position he must have lain for three days before death terminated his sufferings. He had scraped two large holes in the ground with his hands in the desperate hope of extricating himself. The agony of this protracted torture was probably heightened by the gathering round him of native dogs, greedy for their prey, and which may not have been restrained from commencing their attack during the short remainder of his life, for on the fourth day when his body was found portions of it had been devoured and if my memory serves me a right there were indications of his having endeavored to scare them away. The first operations when taking up a new country where the hostility of the Aborigines was to be apprehended and the ravages of native dogs to be guarded against were to provide for the safety of the stock. Great hardships and privations were almost unwittingly endured for the constant occupation of mind and body, the newly acquired responsibility, the wild independence, and the charm of novelty all conspired to give interest to the pursuit. It certainly was not at a time when we lived in a guña or saud hut and ferried upon mutton chops served up in the frying pan with tea in a quart pot and a slice of damper three times a day that we reflected upon the hardships of our lot. It would, I fear, be fore into the object you have in view to trace the improvement in our social state from the days of unvarying tea, damper, and mutton when our wants were few and limited to the compass of our own ability to supply them through the several grades of cabbages, potatoes, eggs, tomato jam, newspapers, butter, glass windows, books, pumpkin pies, post offices, and preserving melons up to our present state of complicated wants enjoying most of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life. It is with much regret I learned that you are about to leave us. I trust very sincerely that I may have an opportunity of seeing you ere then. I shall make an effort at all events to say adieu personally, and if this should be impracticable, I trust that you will remember me amongst the warmest of the many well-wishers you will leave in Victoria, and believe me to be, ever yours, my dear Mr. Latrobe, very sincerely, Alfred T. Thompson. To C. J. Latrobe, Esquire. End of Section 47, recording by Gary B. Clayton. Section 48 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Point Cook, November 1st, 1853. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 27th. Having been addressed to Geelong, it went to my upper stations, and I only received it a few days since. I shall now be happy to give any information relative to the progress of this colony, but am at a loss of where to begin and where to end. I will, therefore, give a brief review of what has come under my own observations since my arrival in the colony. I have been Adelaide in January 1839, and had no opportunity of judging of the capabilities of the country, although I visited the most remote station, and that was only 30 miles from Adelaide. But I was surprised to find parties of such a speculative spirit, raising the price of land by false capital to a fictitious value, and paying for the same with long-dated bills. I arrived in Sydney two months afterwards, and was much disappointed with the poor barren appearance of the country. There had been a series of unusually dry seasons. Butchers' meat being so poor looked so black and unwholesome that I could not touch it. No vegetables to be had at any price. I started up the country to invest in sheep, and I waited the maran bidi did not travel a single mile without seeing dead horses and working bullocks. Hale corn was not to be had at the inns. I saw upon stations where cattle were eager to get a little water, then crawl into a waterhole all but dried up, and there get bogged and leave their carcasses where there were hundreds of others. No one but an eyewitness can have any idea of the state of New South Wales at that period. Besides the unfavorable seasons, the country was overrun with bush rangers. Neither life nor property was safe, not even in villages. When travelling with the mail, there were horsemen and gigs waiting to accompany the mail for protection. I saw the corpse at Grey's Inn of one who had been shot while in charge of a dray. I saw another near Goldburn, and I was within a few miles of Gundaroo when Scotchie and Witton's party had possession of that village. And as Mr. Hume, brother of Hamilton Hume, discoverer of the Murray River, was going with his servants to the assistance of the villagers, he was shot dead, leaving a large family to lament his loss. Scotchie and Witton were at last captured. The one hanged himself in jail, the other was hanged in Goldburn. I bought sheep on the maran bidi in April. Returned to Sydney, bought a dray in eight bullocks with the view of taking my sheep to Port Phillip. Before getting to Burima, a distance of 80 miles, six of my bullocks died from starvation, and in consequence of thousands of sheep dying of Qatar, I changed my mind and left my sheep at Maran Bidi. I bought cattle and took them over land to Adelaide. Found two of the lower stations on the Maran Bidi, only 70 miles below Port Phillip Road, had been deserted for the want of feed, and from there to the Adelaide territory appeared to me to be unavailable for any purpose. Mr. Air, late Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand who preceded me a few months, then had the same opinion. I have seen a portion of the same country since, and what was then a sandy desert is now tolerably grasped, and the whole of this country occupied. On travelling down the Murray and Maran Bidi, I found the natives cunning and treacherous like all other savages, and they would take advantage when parties were off the gun. Mr. Christoves' party from Yass followed me, had all their stock taken, and the whole party killed except one man. Mr. Snoggrass followed, and also lost a great many sheep by the natives. When I arrived in Adelaide, I found cattle had fallen seven pounds at which price I had to dispose of my verbels. I returned to Sydney by way of Hobart Town, and found the appearance of the country quite changed, a good deal of rain having fallen in the interval. I then started with my sheep, which I left on the Murray and Bidi for Port Phillip, and arrived at the Lodden in May 1840, having then been sixteen months in the colonies. I found all the country north of Captain Hepburn and Mr. Cogkill unoccupied, and took out a licence for the country adjoining them. At that time there were a great many cattle and sheep on the road from Sydney, and six months afterwards all the country to the north fifty miles was taken up. I found the natives on the Lodden very quiet, but some came from the Pyrenees and killed the Mr. Allen and also Miss Elephant's hatkeeper. I sold my station on the Lodden, bought sheep on the Sydney side, and on my way to the westward found all the country occupied until I arrived at Mount William, where I formed a station in April 1842. On my way to Mount William, I met Mr. Thompson of Stevens and Thompson who told me that although he did not wish to intimidate me, he would at the same time assure me that I would lose every sheep by the natives at Mount William, that he had been there for two months and that he put two shepherds with double barrel guns to each flock to no purpose, and that last was forced to leave. Having been always so lucky with the natives I pushed on, and upon pitching my tent, did all of my power to have some intercourse with the natives, so as to civilise them as soon as possible. It was weeks before I succeeded, and they were always on the lookout and ran like deer. I at last came upon one on the plane, some distance from timber, and gave chase to him on horseback. When I pulled him he could scarcely stand on his legs from fear, but when I smiled and showed that I wished to be on good terms with them, he gained courage and talked a little. A few days afterwards he bought some younger ones inside of the tent who could speak English better. I went to meet them and gave them to understand that I wished to be friendly with them, that if they did not steal they should be at liberty to roam about as usual. They seemed quite delighted and pleased. I at times gave them a little flour and mutton, but it was some months afterwards before I would allow them to come nearer than two hundred or three hundred yards to the huts. I don't think I lost twenty sheep by them. In the same year I bought a station to the Wannam, and to my surprise not a single native could be seen. I would come upon their camps and fires, but never got a sight of one of them. They were not allowed to come upon any station in that neighbourhood. Indeed they were in a wild estate than any I had seen in the colonies, and at that time all my neighbours were losing sheep. Thinking at the best policy to civilise them as soon as possible I took two from Mount William to the Wannam, who brought about a dozen to me. I told them the same that I told those at Mount William. A month or so afterwards there were about twenty insisting at sheep-washing. Mr Riley of Riley and Barker hearing of it immediately rode up to see if it were correct, and told me that they were the first he had seen at the station in that district, and strongly advised me against encouraging them as they were treacherous to their kindest benefactors. I pursued my own policy thinking the sooner they were civilised and could discriminate between right and wrong, the sooner they would become harmless to Europeans. I found it an answer, and in a short time they were seen all upon the stations in that district. Mr Matthew Gibson, wine merchant, was the first party who occupied country in the neighbourhood of Mount William. He pitched his tent in 1839 on that portion of the Hopkins known as McGill Station, but finding the water very bad he moved on to the Glen Elk. In 1840 Mr Kirk took possession of the same country, and in the same year Mr Wills, Captain Briggs, and others formed stations about the same period. It is the general opinion that the country has improved much by being stocked, and I have no doubt it has to a certain extent, but I think it's more the result of the change of seasons. In 1842 the Fiery Creek Plains were very thinly grasped, and for the want of water between Mount William and Fiery Creek there was a large tract of country not occupied until 1846. Being in the habit during those four years of riding over it every month, I observed the swathe of grass getting thicker every season although there was not a hoot upon it. In 1841 the Fiery Creek was dry for 20 miles and the bed of the creek smoking as if on fire, which is the origin of the name. In 1842 I saw a flock of sheep feeding in the centre of Lake Bollock, and two or three years ago Mr Patterson told me that it was 15 feet deep at the margin near his house. Major Mitchell's Lake Repose Lake Linnlithgau, and several other lakes I saw dry in 1842. It is the change of season and not the stock that has changed the appearance of the country. In 1842 and 1843 water could not be had for the splitters and now there are springs and creeks everywhere. I formed a station on the Adelaide territory 40 miles from Gooch and Bay about the end of 1845. I found the habits and sea of the natives there the same as in Port Phillip, but was surprised to find they could not swim, and I believe until lately they never had an opportunity, as I am informed 10 years ago they could only swim. There is no river or creek between Lake Alexander on the Murray and the Glen Elk. The country from that part of the Murray to Mount Gambia is the most barren sterile country I have witnessed in all my travels. Sheep and cattle died within 20 miles of the coast. I had to remove cattle from a station there after losing about 500. The police magistrate Gooch and Bay told me that it was impossible to keep goats for the supply of milk as they all died. With regard to the capabilities of the different colonies no doubt Port Phillip is the Eden of the whole. From Lake Collect to Mount Shabwell to Mount Rouse, Wanderland with the junction of the Glen Elk considering the extent and area it is the greatest extent of rich country I ever witnessed within my recollection. Poor healthy soil near Newcastle County of Nathumberland has been ploughed, drained and manured so as to raise good crops. On visiting the different provinces and districts I was struck more with the different manners and customs of the Europeans and the Aborigines. In Adelaide there appeared to be a spirit of King Yankees in Sydney the people seemed light, gay and thoughtless. The settlers on the Murray Bidji and Goldburn the same, and again on the westerns district they appeared thoughtful for the future industrious and persevering willing to put their shoulders to the wheel and overcome all difficulties and that at a time when they did not know how to raise ten pounds to pay their licence. Indeed I have been agreeably surprised to witness so many very young men arriving in this colony possessing such perseverance, sobriety and exemplary conduct. I have the honour to be sir your obedient servant Thos Chernside, his excellency the Lieutenant Governor. End of Section 48 Recording by Shana Burns Section 49 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers This is the LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Letters from Victorian Pioneers Letter 49 from EPS Sturt Lonsdale Street 20th October 1853 My dear sir As far as my recollections will allow me to record some of the circumstances attending my early career and travels through this southern portion of our Australian possessions and by so doing contribute to the fund of information you have already gathered through your own long experience and personal observation it will afford me much pleasure. My early initiation into bush life was as a commissioner of Crown Lands for the Murray District in 1837, a portion of the colony at that time very thinly occupied by stations though now forming one of our richest living districts. Provided with a good tent and camp equipage a small supply of books and writing materials a trusty Wesley Richards with an ample supply of ammunition a capital nag and some fine kangaroo dogs you may easily conceive that I looked forward to my expeditions with feelings of pleasure and excitement. My means of transport was a light cart with two draft horses which with a large top hole afforded an ample shelter for the men. The district allotted to me was from R&BG to the right bank of the Ovens River forty miles on the Port Phillip side of the Murray. The country was at this time most beautiful, miles of it untrodden by stock and indeed unseen by Europeans. Every creek abounded with wild fowl and the quails sprung from the long kangaroo grass which waved to the very flaps of the saddle. Seldom on my return to the encampment after a long day's ride to some out stations but what I had to acknowledge the culinary talents of my tent-servant as the every steam of a stew or pastry would rise from the iron pot simmering by a glorious fire in front of the tent. No dinner cooked by the most cunning artiste is equal to that one enjoys under such circumstances as those I describe. Nor can anything equal the relish which is afforded by the quartpot of tea a delicacy I know you have yourself appreciated on some of your excellencies flying expeditions. It has often been a source of regret to me that all the charms in the traversing of a new country must give way to the march of civilisation. The camp on the grassy sword is now superseded by the noisy roadside inn, the quartpot of tea by the bottle of ale. All the quiet serenity of an Australian bush as we have known it has yielded to the demands of population and this though a necessary change is not the less to be regretted. I look back to those days as to some joyous scene of school-boy holidays. The seasons appear to me to have undergone a considerable change and to have become both colder and more moist. For though a fire was fully appreciated the weather generally was mild and dry. My impression with regard to the increased rains is borne out by the fact that many tracts of country are now occupied by stock which I have ridden over vainly seeking for water to relieve my distressed horse and moisten my parched lips. I may particularly allude to the billabong country and to those plains in the flat-box country extending between the Edward and Murrumbidgee rivers. For miles and miles I have ridden over this monotonous dreary flat not a hill to be seen to raise the hope that some creek or water-hole might be at hand, the eyes aching with the dazzling reflection and mirage of the plains. Sheep are now occupying the whole of this country, the supply of water for the stations being obtained by sinking water-holes and throwing dams across the slight falls or which, though barely visible, yet here and there in the wet seasons become runs of water. Even this, however, affords a precarious supply and the losses and suffering of these settlers are very great. In the dry seasons they frequently have to move on with their flocks towards some of the rivers for their absolute salvation and driven to become interlopers and marauders on others' runs their existence is far from enviable. Their risk, too, of spreading or contracting contagious diseases in the flocks thus becomes very great. The heat is also here excessive, which together with the general dryness of the atmosphere and pastures deteriorates the character of the wolves. Notwithstanding, however, these drawbacks, it may safely be considered a fine pastoral district. The country to the south-east of the main Sydney Road to Port Phillip rises towards the Australian Alps to which snow-capped mountains we are indebted for the numerous streams and rivers flowing through the lower and, in summer, arid regions to the north and north-west, most of which unite with the Murray. The nearer we approach the mountains both the climate and character of the soil change. I've noticed that the upper Murray and Table Lands of Omeo afford an abundant but course un-nutritious grass. The trees also assume a cold and wintry appearance and the foliage becomes yet more somber than the generality of Australian trees. One circumstance I noticed is strange and difficult to count for. Though the climates on the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers exactly assimilate and the distance between them is inconsiderable, about 130 miles, the appearance of the two rivers differs materially. The banks of the Murrumbidgee are wooded with large swamp oak, as is also the case with its tributaries, the Loughlin, Burua and Chumat rivers, etc. On the latter, these large oaks overhang the banks until they nearly meet, imparting a peculiar gloom to this rapid stream. On the Murray, the oak entirely disappears, being replaced by the bright wattle or acacia. The scent of its masses of blossom in the spring pervades the air and adds to the pleasing effect this graceful tree has on the mind of the traveller enhanced by the wild, sweet call of the bellbird. Another peculiarity attending these rivers flowing to the north and northwest is that they are bound in a fine fish called the Murray cod. In season these fish are very rich and their chief sustenance are the natives who spear them from their canoes at the prow of which they have a brilliant fire of pines which attracts the fish at night and entices them to their destruction. Strange to say that all the streams and rivers flowing to the south and southwest, though in many instances taking their source from the same mountains, are devoid of the river cod having only the blackfish, a peculiar kind of herring and the eel which run to a large size. About this time commenced the stream of emigration into Port Phillip and the main line of road became enlivened by the overland parties crowding one after another to the newly opened and rich pastures of the south. Numerous were the incidents both by flood and field which these adventurers met with. The rivers were all unbridged and afforded no small obstacle to the overlander, taxing both his courage enterprise and invention to overcome his difficulties. The danger of attack from the natives was not inconsiderable and I need hardly call to your recollection the melancholy destruction of Mr. Faithful's party who were attacking the Ovens River several of the men being killed. I happened to meet one of the poor wretches who escaped thanks to his speed of foot and endurance as he was pursued many miles by the merciless savages and though severely wounded he ran forty miles and at last dropped at my tent overcome by fatigue and terror. The natives were at all times treacherous to a degree and the murders they committed were numerous. I admit that they sometimes met with treatment from some of the whites sufficient to excite their enmity, but I cannot attribute their acts of murder to a spirit of retaliation nor do I believe that any cruelty was evinced towards them by the Europeans until exasperated by their savage acts of treachery. The natives of Australia are devoid of any feeling of mercy or pity. No native of a foreign tribe would be safe for an hour if in the power of others of the same race. The most cold-blooded murder will excite no remorse. The draining of a wretched lubra will only add to the heroic and indomitable character of the savage. I knew a fine young lad whom Dr. Martin had civilised. He was a stockman and a very intelligent lad. He accompanied a party with fat stock to Melbourne. At Bun and Yong he fell in with a tribe of natives and in the act of giving them tobacco was basely speared and died in the greatest agony. His only offence was that he belonged to a strange tribe. I have seen a lad of twelve years old drive a spear through the body of an old man because he refused the loan of his pipe. The father of this precocious youth submitted his head without a groan to three terrific blows from one another inflicted by a relative of the old man's. This was an extenuation of his son's offence. Love to their offspring is the only softening feature in these natives and that is but an animal propensity natural to the brute creation. March is laid to the evil effects resulting from the intimacies known to exist between the shepherds and stockmen and the native women. This encouraged a familiarity with the tribes which revealed the defenceless state of the Europeans and they too often availed themselves of this knowledge. But a sensitiveness on the point of their women I much doubt for the first overture as the savage makes in Bartha is the tender of his unfortunate lubra. That there are some instances of their becoming useful men I cannot deny as we might instance some of poor Dana's black troopers but they are rare indeed. It is only under compulsion that their natural disposition can be restrained. Poor Mr. William, whom I assure your excellency recollects, is now undergoing his sentence for a breach of the laws at the Goldfields. He is now at Pentridge Stockade in the capacity of a servant to Mr. Barrow. In that capacity he is a useful good-creature, being a capital nurse and playmate for Barrow's children. Turn the poor fellow away and he would soon be seen in the streets of Melbourne a drunken sort. As the example of others had its effect with me and seized with an overland fit I resigned my appointment and started for Bathurst and thence with sheep and cattle to Adelaide. It would be uninteresting to give any details of the expedition. I believe I was the first to run the Murrumbidgee down with stock. At least no trace of four-footed beast was to be seen as we approached the field of reeds forming the outlet of the Loughlin into the Murrumbidgee. Here I thought we should have been stopped. As far as 15 feet high. The Loughlin here ceases to have the appearance of a river and loses itself in this bed of reeds. With the drays first then the cattle we managed to break down a track for the sheep and confident that there was no deep bed of a river to stop us on we went and three days hard work saw us through the Loughlin swamps. I was among the most fortunate of the overlanders having avoided any serious collisions with the blacks. The country itself was monotonous to a degree. The river runs through a high-level country. The river flats average about half a mile wide on each side and afford fine feed for the stock and famous camping places at night. From these flats are bank rises to the plains which extend for hundreds of miles. These plains in some places are thickly covered with a low polygonum scrub. The soil is a species of whitish clay formed into small hills and hollows like molehills. Some fine silvery grass grows in these hollows and the tops of subtly devoid of vegetation. The plains are sometimes intersected by a belt of Murray Scrub running down to the very river. Also I met with some belts of pine forest in which some very beautiful shrubs and flowers are to be found. The whole of this country has to my surprise become now occupied but I hear that the herbages improve from being fed over and the sheep seem to thrive on the various salsalaceous plants which are bound. It still however takes a vast extent of country to support any number of sheep. The gum trees on the alluvial flats are magnificent stately trees and some of our encampments were singularly picturesque. As for the Murray ever becoming an agricultural country the idea is absurd. The produce which the Henry young fancies will all be conveyed to Adelaide by steamers is a chimerical idea which never can be realised. The alluvial river flats constitute the sole land in any way suitable to agriculture and these flooded during the spring and early part of summer by the melting of the snow on the mountains. There is hardly a settler on the lower Murray who can even luxuriate in a vegetable. The weather during my expedition was most beautiful. We of course kept regular watches in the bugle sounding the morning watch at two o'clock was the signal for the camp to arouse breakfast was then cooked, trays loaded, bullocks yoked and the stock moved off. We then travelled on but seldom could do much come to intense. The sheep would cluster in knots seeking any shelter from the intense rays of the sun. We generally managed to make one of the bends of the river at this time and there lay by until four or five o'clock when we would accomplish another three or four miles of our journey. The extraordinary number of birds which collect on the river afforded abundant sport as well as capital dinners. It appears to be now indisputably settled that the interior of this area would be covered by barren scrubs and sterile sandhills forming as it were a basin and yet the flights of birds all from the north would lead one to suppose that there must be some oasis in that desert tract extending to Sir Thomas Mitchell's discoveries on the Victoria River on which the migratory furthered race might rest on their weary flight. The air would sometimes absolutely resound with the chatter of birds, the lagoons swarming with ducks and snipe, and then the luxury stream after a hard day's work with a thermometer at a hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit cannot be exceeded. It is curious to observe the skill shown by the natives in their pursuit of game. They catch vast numbers of ducks in an ingenious manner. The lagoons run for some length narrowing at the end where the trees close in. Two or three blacks plant themselves near this narrow pass, having extended a large net from tree to tree. The others then proceed to the top of the lagoon, driving the ducks before them. As they fly by the ambush gate, they throw their boomerangs whizzing over the heads of the birds, which dreading that their enemy the hawk is sweeping at them, make a dash under the trees, strike the net, and fall as if shot, when the natives dash in after them. I imagine it's a panic that seizes the poor birds, for I have seen a hundred caught by such means. We encountered some difficulty in crossing our stalk and drays over the rufus and darling, but none which with a good heart we did not overcome. Our bodies added zest to our labours. At the north-west bend of the Murray the river takes a sweep to the south into Lake Alexanderina. From this point I left our party to strike across the scrub into Adelaide or rather into the settled parts of the colony. We had run short of flour and sugar, and my object was to cut through the scrub with a light horse cart and bring out supplies for the party, as well as ascertain the best route in for the stock to take. Tracks of former indistinct, and at the point I struck in, we noticed for some distance a single cart-track going the direction I wished to follow. This, however, we soon lost, and I discovered that we had fearfully miscalculated the width of the scrub, or its density at the point I entered. Since then poor young Bryant perished in the same scrub whilst on an expedition with Colonel Gawler, the then Governor of South Australia. It appeared the Governor wished to penetrate to some hills north, but finding the scrub hastened back to the river after having had to kill one of the horses, the party somehow separated in pushing for the river. It was a struggle for life, as another day's son would have been fatal. Poor Bryant must have lost his presence of mind, for his tracks were found running the scrub down parallel to the river, but no traces of the poor fellow could ever be made out. He must have perished a miserable death. To return to my own misadventions my party consisted of two men and a native of New South Wales. For two days we cut through the scrub with little appearance of getting out or finding water. The labour was excessive, and the men were improvident with our limited supply of water. The third day saw us without any. Still I was determined to push on to the hills, knowing that by keeping firm in the one direction I must succeed. The heat was terrific, and the second day told fearfully upon us. It was doubtful whether we could have made it back to the river, and the hills, the hills were our aim, and hopes of water I saw before us. So still we plunged on, the poor horses being in a most pitiable condition. The third day we crossed the hills, but not a sap of water to be found in the poorest granite ranges. We camped at three o'clock, the men being utterly prostrated, and the horses in a dying state. The plains of Adelaide were before us. I was sure water must be near, so leaving the men at compass with directions that should I not return by to fill one of the horses and moisten their mouths with its blood, and then push on in the same course. I started, or I may say tottered on for about two miles. When I overcome I sunk at the foot of a tree. I never shall forget my sensations at that time. I felt the miserable death awaiting me. I then thought of home, and that I was in some richly carpeted drawing-room, and I struggled against insanity. When I recovered to some extent it was a bright fresh night. I was going to collect my senses when I heard a flight of birds overhead, and the unmistakable cry of the wood-duck. With renewed energy I pushed on, and within a hundred yards of me was the creek. An hour served sufficiently to restore me, and soaking my woolen shirt in the water I retraced my steps to the cart. We were saved, but it was touch and go. One of the men never recovered it, and the last time I saw him he was an idiot in Adelaide. We were but three days without water, but it was summer, and we were working with a blazing sun overhead. My residence since 1844 has been at Mount Gambia, about half way between Melbourne and Adelaide. I there formed a station, and occupied a most splendid portion of country. I just missed your excellency when you were at the Mount, being then on the point of taking up the country adjacent to the Mount. I look at this portion of the colony decidedly as the finest I have ever seen, and it would be most interesting to a geologist. When I first occupied it, surface water was very scarce, being found only in a few tea tree springs, or in the craters of the extinct volcanoes. I, however, subsequently discovered that the whole country was cavernous, and that absolute streams and rivers were flowing within, in some places a few feet of the surface. The rock is generally limestone, which crops from the surface in all directions. Indeed, in some places there are but a few inches of soil in the surface of limestone. Our early occupation of Mount Gambia was marked with perhaps more of the difficulties and troubles generally attending a settler's life. When I took up the station, I was again beginning the world with little more than Dearbord experience. The ruinous years of 1842 and 1843 had involved me in the, I may nearly say, universal crash, thanks to the improvidence which I believe is as characteristic of the early squatters as of the British sailor, the simplicity with which so many of us scribbled out autographs to pieces of paper for the relief of pretended friends whom we found too willing to shuffle their own difficulties on the shoulders of their more generous dupes. There is nothing of which a young man commencing his career in the colonies should be more earnestly warned against than this same yielding to the impulse of good nature. When I fixed on the site of my new homestead I had not a shilling in the world. Unfortunately the boot was very much my little leg, but thanks to the success attending sheep farming I have outlived my difficulties. The natives were very inimical when we first arrived, and to add to my difficulties all our men with the exception of one deserted us. I had, however, a trusty friend in poor Edward White whose daring energy of character has been fully tested in his expeditions in the survey department, to which I am sure your excellency will fully testify. Another young friend, Mr. Broderib, actively adhered to my fortunes. There were but four of us, but we managed to lamb the sheep down and build a bark shed for shearing. With little assistance we sheared the flocks and managed, I can hardly say how, to turn the wool into supplies for the following year. Our neighbour, Mr. Leek, suffered many losses from the natives, some thousands I believe, but we escaped any attack which I attribute to the astonishment they evinced at seeing the effects of a good rifle aimed by a correct eye for not a crow would dare to core on the highest tree near our camp but a rifle wall reached him, or a kangaroo bound through the forest within shop but the sharp ring of the rifle saw him stretched on the sword. I have always thought this gained us their respect. They gave me the name of a chief who had fallen in battle and affirmed that I had again come among them as a white fellow. We gained their respect, but it was through fear, and subsequently their confidence through kindness. Many of them have since become useful shepherds, and been of the utmost service to me, but it is difficult to have fat sheep where natives shepherd them, for they are too indolent even for that service. The whole of this country is volcanic, but of a different character to that of Mount Napier and the Belfast district where the rivers of lava can be followed for miles, now having the appearance of rivers of huge rocks of trap cracked and rent by time and heat. At Mount Gambia there is little rock saved the limestone and the eruptions of the expired volcanoes of the Gambia, Shank and others are only marked by a deposit of scoriae and ashes. The bottoms of the craters are now lakes of unfathomable depth, the waters of which on a cloudy day assume an inky darkness which gives a degree of solemnity to the scenery. There is also a singular feature in the country. There are many holes and caves. The caves appear endless and it requires some degree of nerve to head an exploring expedition in these subterranean territories. Some of them are very beautiful when lit up by torchlight. Long, pendulous stalactites hang from the ceiling or roof of the cavern, connecting themselves with the floor and the continuous dripping of the water and deposit of the sediment has formed itself into the most grotesque shapes. Neatures and seats appear of this glittering white marble, which are not very imaginative mind might conceive to be the seats of the presiding genius in his attendant satellites. I have never discovered any petrifactions in these caverns, but I thought once I have discovered something that would have handed down my name to posterity. In one of these niches I observe the figure of a man, bent as in an attitude of thought, his elbows resting on his knees. I approached and felt this object when I found it to be the body of a man as I supposed petrified. Anxiously I examined it and took an arm and hand which were loose to the open air for closer inspection. I then found that it had more the appearance of a mummy, the skin having become hard and dry and containing nothing but dust. It however merited closer inspection, but I had some miles to ride and determined to defer such examination to another time. Since then I have never been near the spot. The holes which I have before alluded to are perfectly perpendicular and vary in size. Some go down perpendicular as if bored by a huge auger, some two hundred feet. At the bottom is water which has all the appearance of being bottomless. The country between the mountain and Adelaide is very flat, having large gum forests well grasped and extensive swamps and plains. It has evidently been recently flooded by the sea, there being large beds of oysters exposed where any large tree has been blown down and torn up the soil. The surface is also covered with oyster shells and other deposits of the ocean. To the north the country becomes arid and barren of any vegetation save the eternal Murray scrub. I have travelled much through the western country, ascended the crater or rather descended it of Mount Elyse, but of all that country you are equally well informed with myself. Of the plenty which you ask me to mention, I have no pleasing reminiscences. I only know at that time it consisted of a district of cattle-stealers. The only pleasing recollection is that of a certain trip I took with your Excellency when certainly our bush experience did not ensure us a perfect knowledge of our locale. I fully believe you attribute our eccentric course to my guiding, but you will allow and I have always believed you are fonder of leading than being led. Thus I take no credit for our shortcuts on that occasion. I fear I have spun this out much longer than your patients will allow, but if any portion will afford matter worth noting, I shall be glad. With a sincere hope that I may have the pleasure of talking over Australian life with you, happily united to your family in brave old England, believe me, my dear Mr. Latrobe, yours most sincerely, EPS Sturt. To CJ Latrobe Esquire End of Section 49 Section 50 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Letters 50 from Dr. A. Thomsen March 20th 1854 Sir, I would have replied long before this to your circular of date, 27th July last, but waited expecting to find my journal which was lent to Miss Drisdale and cannot be found which will account for the meager reply I now make. 1. In September 1835 I shipped per Narval, Captain Coltish the first cattle for Port Phillip. 2. In March 1836 I landed at Melbourne with my family. There being no constituted authority I was requested to act as a general arbitrator. I did so by common consent my tent being the police office. Many felt a pride in showing an example in upholding order which was done without much trouble. The people were very quiet and attended every Sunday morning at my tent for public worship where I read the Church of England service. 3. In April 1836 I built, by subscription a house for a church and school the old weather board lately removed from St. James. 4. The first clergyman who visited us was the reverend Joss Orton Vesleyen and afterwards the reverend Messier's clothes, forbs, grills and waterfield. 5. In May 1836 Mr. Batman arrived with his family. 6. From that time we had weekly arrivals with stock from one demon's land and many stations were taken up 7. In July 1836 we took the first census numbering 149. 8. In December 1836 the first herd of cattle was brought from Sydney by Mr. Gino Cardner and Captain Herbborn. 9. In May 1836 I landed my sheep at Point Henry unoccupied the present township of Geelong at the sheep station and indented head as a cattle station of Captain Swanson. Mr. Scooby and Stead and myself had the whole western district to ourselves for 18 months parties being all afraid of the blacks. We were afterwards joined by Road Knight, Dark, Durban Company, Russell Anderson Brown, Reed, McLeod, Stiglitz, Sutherland, Morey, Morris, Lloyd, Wehr, Lermont's, Armitage, Raven, Pettit, Francis, Bates and others. 10. In 1837 I built the present house of Cardinia which I called after the aboriginal ward for sunrise. I built also a house for the Durban's company occupied afterwards by Mr. Fisher. 11. In 1838 Mr. Scratchen built the first store in Geelong. He was followed by Mr.'s rocker and champion. 12. On my first journeys into the country I was very much surprised to find so few natives and thought they were keeping out of the way. During our first visit to Buninyon we did not see in one and on our first journey to the west when we discovered Kolakan Korangamid we saw about 20 at Pyron Yalok who fled on seeing us. On better acquaintance I found their number really very small. Always in 100 miles had visited us. 13. In December 1836 I was at great pains to muster all that were in the Geelong district and gave each a blanket. They were Buckley's tribe and he assured me I had mustered the whole of them amounting to only 279. They were always friendly. I was well known amongst them and wherever I went they received me kindly. But alas! The decrease has been fearful chiefly from drinking and exposure to all weathers bringing on pulmonary complaints. Since our connection with the whites there has been little increase. When I first numbered them they had several children amongst them but they decreased every year and now in this tribe we have only 34 adults and only 2 children under 5 years. The men now living were all children and are beginning to look old so that in 10 years more there will not be one alive. Every attempt to civilize them has signally failed. I have had several in my family for years and told them to read and go to church with the family but after a time the other youth would threaten them and carry them off when they again got fond of a savage life. I am convinced that no plan except one entire isolation will succeed with these poor degraded people. A. Thompson, M.C. 2. His Excellency C. J. Latrobe, Esquire Addenda The Merrick scrubby hills near Cape Otway form 50 miles by 10 of dense scrub exactly like the country you saw at Wilson's Promontory with immense trees towering to the height of 18 and 120 feet and foreign trees of 20 feet in the gullies a rich black soil and streams of water running into the sea every 6 or 7 miles. A. Thompson Lonsdale's Notes on Dr. Thompson's Statement 2. Mr. Simpson was named by the persons interested in the formation of a settlement at Port Phillip as Arbitrator etc. Dr. Thompson and another where I understand afterwards named to assist him somewhat in the quality of assessors. Dr. Thompson may possibly during the absence of Mr. Simpson in one demon's land have acted as Arbitrator in some cases. As to the state of order among the people I have no reason to doubt but that they were as peaceable as could reasonably be expected under the circumstances in which they were placed but I know that repeated representations were made to the Sydney government to the contrary of so strong a nature that Sir Richard Burke thought there was a probability of some resistance being offered to his establishing authority in the place and directed me to apply to Captain Hobson for the Marines of his ship should I find the detachment of troops I took with me insufficient. This however was perfectly useless. The people were quite quiet. The only indication to the contrary was the simple circumstance of the printed proclamations which I had caused to be posted up being torn down. One of the first persons who made himself known to me was Dr. Thompson who with a formidable brace of pistols in his belt told me he was very glad I had arrived as they were in a most lawless state and always in dread of being assaulted or something to that effect. Dr. Thompson's appointment by the Port Phillip people was that of medical officer and I think catechist. In the former capacity he was afterwards for a short time in the employment of the government. I dare say he performed the church service as he states but on my arrival I did not understand it was performed. Mr. James Smith was the first I was aware of who read the service regularly on Sundays for such of the people as choose to attend. Three when I arrived in September this building was not near finished I was given to understand that it was erected by general subscription for church of England service and was handed over to me for this purpose. I afterwards collected further subscriptions to finish it in the course of which I had some little altercation with Dr. Thompson who was supposed to be unconnected with it but he claimed to be a member of the church. Four the Reverend Mr. Orton was here after I arrived as a passing visitor I was not aware that he had been here previously. Mr. Waterfield an independent minister was the first clergyman who arrived to perform service permanently. Mr. Naylor had paid the settlement a visit and had performed service and some of the rights of the church of England. Eight it was Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Joseph Hoddon who brought over the first herd of cattle from Sydney. Twelve this is a very uncertain and indefinite statement and appears in some measure to be contradicted by the next paragraph where a tribe belonging to a small tract of country is represented to be 279 and which I can say is correct from what I saw of the other tribes at that time. End of section 50 section 51 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Letters from Victorian Pioneers Letter 51 from a Macmillan Bushey Park Bushey Park August 25, 1853 Dear Sir In answer to your excellency's letter of the 29th of July and to a note from Mr. Tires on the 14th instant requesting me to give with the least possible delay an account of the discovery of Gippsland dates with events connected with it the particulars of Count Strzelecki's visit etc etc I beg to forward the accompanying memorandum and trust that the information contained in it will answer the purpose required. But should you require anything further I shall be happy to give a more detailed account. I remain Dear Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, A. Macmillan 2. His Excellency C. H. Latrobe 1. Memorandum of Trip by A. Macmillan from Maneru District in the year 1839 to the south-west of that district towards the sea coast in search of new country 1. Start from Maneru on the 20th of May, 1839 I left Caravan a station of James McFarlane Esquire GP of the Maneru District having heard from the natives of that district that a fine country existed near the sea coast to the south-west of Maneru accompanied by one black only. I was accompanied in my expedition by Jemmy Gibber, the chief of the Maneru tribe. After five days journey towards the south-west I obtained a view of the sea from the top of a mountain near a hill known as the Haystack in the Bokkan District and also of the low country towards Wilson's Promontory. On the sixth day after leaving Caravan the black fellow who accompanied me became so frightened of the variegals or wild blacks that he tried to leave me and refuse to proceed any further towards the new country. We pressed on until the evening when we camped and about twelve o'clock at night I woke up and found Jemmy Gibber in the act of raising his body or club to strike me as he fancied that if he succeeded in killing me he would then be able to get back to Maneru. I presented a pistol at him and he begged me not to shoot him and excused himself by saying that he had dreamt that another black fellow was taking away his gin and that he did not mean to kill me. Omiyo Next morning we started from Omiyo where we arrived after four days journey over very broken country. There were three settlers at Omiyo at this time, Viz, Pender, McFarlane and Highland. Numblamangi On the 16th September 1839 I formed a cattle station at a place called Numblamangi on the river Tambo 50 miles to the south of Omiyo for Lachlan McAllister Esquire GP. A Mr. Buckley had, previous to my arrival here, formed a station 10 miles higher up the river Tambo from Numblamangi. On the 26th of December 1839 I formed a party consisting of Mr. Kamaran, Mr. Matthew McAllister, Edward Boff, a stockman and myself. With the view of proceeding towards and exploring the low country I had formally obtained a view of from the mountain in the Bukon district alluded to in my first trip from Maneru. After travelling for three days over a hilly and broken country one of our horses met with a serious accident, tumbling down the side of one of the steep ranges and staked itself in four or five places. In consequence of this accident we were compelled to return to Numblamangi. On the 11th of January 1840 the same party as before was the addition of two Omiyo Blacks Journey and Boy Pride Day started once more with the same object in view, namely that of reaching the new country to the south-west and, if possible, to penetrate as far as Cornet Inlet where I was led to believe there existed an excellent harbor. Meet with the Aborigines After a fearful journey of four days over some of the worst description of country I ever saw we succeeded in crossing the coast range leading down into the low country. This day we were met by a tribe of the wild blacks who came up quite close to us and stared at us well on horseback but the moment I dismounted they commenced yelling out and took to their heels running away as fast as possible and from the astonishment displayed at the circumstance of my dismounting from the horse I fancied they took both men and horses to constitute one animal. Lake Victoria On Wednesday the 15th of January our little party encamped on the river Tumbo running towards the sea in a south-easterly direction. On the morning of the 16th we started down the Tumbo in order, if possible to get the sight of a lake we had previously seen when descending the ranges of the low country and which I was certain must be in our immediate vicinity. The country passed through today consisted of open forest well-grossed the timber consisting chiefly of red and white gun, box, he and she oak and occasionally wattle. At 6pm we made the lake to which I gave the name of Lake Victoria. From the appearance of this beautiful sheet of water I should say that it is fully 20 miles in length and about 8 miles in width. On the north side of this lake the country consists of beautiful open forest and the grass was up to our stirrup irons as we rode along and was absolutely swarming with kangaroos and imoos. The lake was covered with wild ducks, swans and pelicans. We used some of the lake water for tea but found it quite brackish. We remained on the margin of the lake all night. The River Tumble was about 1 mile north-east of our camp. The River Tumble where we first made it appears to be very deep and from 20 to 30 yards wide. The water is brackish for the distance of about 5 miles from its mouth where it empties itself into Lake Victoria. Nicolson River On the 17th January started from the camp and proceeded in a south-westerly direction. At 10am came upon another river to which I gave the name of the Nicolson after Dr. Nicolson of Sydney. This river seemed to be quite as large as the Tumble and as deep. Finding we were not able to cross it in the low country we made for the ranges where after encountering great difficulties we succeeded in crossing it. But not until sundown high up in the ranges and encamped for the night. Finding we found that from the great heat of the weather our small supply of meat had been quite destroyed. We were however fortunate enough to obtain some wild ducks upon which we made an excellent supper. River Mitchell 18th January started again upon our usual course south-west and after traveling about 7 miles came upon a large river which I named the Mitchell Surveyor General of New South Wales. Clifton's Morris We followed this river up until we came to a large Morris to which I gave the name of Clifton's Morris from the circumstance of my having nearly lost in it from its boggy nature, my favorite horse Clifton. General view of country from a hill Having crossed this Morris we again proceeded on our journey for 3 miles and we came once more upon the Mitchell River higher up and encamped for the night, the country improving at every step. In the evening I ascended a hill near the camp from the top of which I obtained a good view of the low country still before us, of the high mountains to the north-west and the lakes stretching towards the sea coast in a south and southeasterly direction and from the general view of the country as I then stood put me more in mind of the scenery of Scotland than any other country I had hitherto seen and therefore I named it at the moment Caledonia Australis. On the morning of the 19th January we crossed the Mitchell and proceeded in a south-south west course through fine open forest of Sheoke and red and white gum for about 16 miles and encamped upon a chain of bones in the evening. We proceeded in a south-west course and at 10 am came upon the border of a large lake which I believe to be a continuation of the same lake we had bring previously encamped upon. The Aborigines While at dinner on the banks of the lake a tribe of blacks were walking quietly up to where we were encamped but as soon as they saw us on horseback they left their rugs and spears and run away. They never would make friends with us upon any occasion. The River Avon 21st January started upon our usual course south-west and after travelling about 4 miles came upon a river flowing through a fine country of fine open forest with high banks to which I gave the name of the Avon. We followed this river up all day and crossed it about 20 miles from the foot of the mountains. It appears to be a mountain stream generally not very deep and runs over a bed of shingle. The country around and beyond the place where we crossed the Avon consists of beautiful rich open plains and appeared as far as I could judge at the time to extend as far as the mountains. We encamped upon these plains for the night. From our encampment we had a splendid view of the mountains west of which I named Mount Wellington and also I named several others which appear in the government maps published at Gippsland. 22nd January left the encampment on the plains and proceeded on our usual course of south-west and travelled over a beautiful country consisting of fine open plains intersected by occasional narrow belts of open forest extending as far as the lakes to the eastward and stretching away west and northwest as far as the foot of the mountains. McAllister River After travelling about 10 miles we encamped in the evening on a large stream which I named the McAllister. This river appears deep and rapid and is about 40 yards wide. Here we saw an immense number of fires of the natives. 23rd January started early in the morning and tried to cross the river but could not succeed and followed the river McAllister down to its junction with another very large river called the Latrobe which river is bounded on both sides by large morasses. Meet with Aborigines In the morass to northeast of the river we saw some hundred natives who upon our approach burned their camps and took to the scrub. We overtake one old man that could not walk to whom I gave a knife and a pair of trousers and endeavored by every means in our power to open a communication with the other blacks but without success. It was amusing to see the old man after having shaken hands with us all he sought it necessary to go through the same form with the horses and shook the burtles very heartily. The only ornaments he wore were three hands of men and women beautifully dried and preserved We were busy all the evening endeavoring to cut a bark canoe but did not succeed. On the morning of the 24th January the provisions having become very short and as some of the party were unwilling to prosecute the journey upon small allowance I determined upon returning to the station and bringing down stock to the district We then returned to Nambla Manji which place we made in seven days from the 24th and were the last two days without any provisions at all I may add that I was the first person who discovered Gippsland and when I started to explore that district I had no guide but my pocket compass and a chart of Captain Flinders We had not even a tent but used to camp out and make rough ganyas wherever we remained for the night On the 27th March 1840 Count Shalecki and party left our station at Nambla Manji for Caledonia Australis He was supplied with some provisions and a camp kettle and Mr. Matthew McAllister who was one of my party in January of the same year accompanied them one day's journey and after explaining the situation and nature of the country about the different crossing places I found my tracks on the coast range leading to Gippsland and which tracks, shortly the Sydney Blackfellow who accompanied Count Shalecki said he could easily follow On my return to Nambla Manji on the 31st of January after having discovered the country of Gippsland as far as the Latrobe River I proceeded immediately to Maneru and reported my discovery to Mr. McAllister who did not publish my report at the time I had also written another letter to a friend of mine in Sydney containing a description of my expedition at the same time I wrote to Mr. McAllister but it unfortunately miscarried In October 1840 I arrived in Gippsland with 500 head of cattle and formed a station on the Avon River after having been six weeks engaged in clearing a road over the mountains After four attempts I succeeded in discovering the present shipping place at Port Albert and marked a road from Vence to Nambla Manji at distance of 130 miles After having brought stock into the district and formed the station in about the months of November 1840 the Aborigines attacked the station drove the men from the hut and took everything from them compelling them to retreat back upon Nambla Manji On the 22nd of December 1840 I again came down and took possession of the station when the natives made a second attack A Macmillan End of chapter 51